Vertical card index cabinet



2 Sheets sheet 1 Filed Aug. 5. 1953 INVENTOR aa/r-P ATTORNEY June 25, 1935. AAGAARD 2,006,288

VERTICAL CARD INDEX CABINET Filed Aug. 5, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNE Patented June 25, 1935 VERTICAL CARD INDEX CABINET Birger Aagaar'd 'Trondhjem, Norway A Application August 5, -19 33 Serial No. 683,885 1 i v I I I seams. '(Cl, 129- -16) 7 This invention relates to improvementsin ver above, specified. Thus, instead of mounting a ticalcard index cabinets and embodies improvehorizontal -slidable drawer avertically-movable merits upon the devices described and claimed card-carrirasin-;my said-former application, myUnited States Patent No. 'l,9 26,023, dated the cards are mounted in a separate card-con- Sept: 12, --l933;- which,embodies mechanism ,tainingdrawer, :and'-tl1is-- card-drawer itself is whereby a horizontally-disposed row of cards mounted. in.- -a carriagei member to provide-for are raised'and lowered above a card dropping elehorizontal sliding; movement while the; movement to enable a separation or breakin the row mentvertically from;a plane in which the cards or body ofcards by a dropping of a portion of areabove the droppingelernent to a lower plane 10 said row over and below the' top edge of said is provided by a-verticalmovement of thedrawer 10; dropping element with a consequent exposure in relation ,to-:thecarriage member,v the cards, of a portion of the face of a card or cards. at said when the-drawer is in its upper position, being I break or separation and to cause another 'porsupported at the bottom ':edge: of the-drawer 'tion of said cards to'be supported by said dropwhile when the drawer, is in its lower position 5 ping element in such a'manner that by a pullthe cardswill be; supported by thesupporting ing movement exerted manually onthe handle portion of the dropping element with the belt of the drawer, the. eards' will'movelalong the above'speeiiiedegtendingbetween the-bottom of card-supporting portion of the dropping element the.- cards and said supporting,; portion so that until they reach the edge of said element, over whenimsaid'lowerposition;the:drawerispulled,

which they drop one by one to a lower plane, aportionofthe cards: which are held elevated'by m; the addresses of successive cards becoming vis-, the droppingmember will be successivelydropped ible'during the dropping operationso that the over the; edge; of ;.the; dropping element with'a card or cards wanted may be found without consequent exposureppf apportion of the-face of touching the cards with ,the :hands. a card; or; cardswherebythe addresses of each of a Y One of the objects of-niy present inventionis such-cards will zbeoomezvisibleduring thedropv to provide mechanism-i for the control .of the ping operation and the card or cards wanted may movement of the drawer and thus to control me+ be found. quicklyfand. surely without "touching chanically thespeed and positiveness with which the cardswith the hands; a 4, r 1 r the cards are dropped over theidropping element; in this preferred embodiment of my inven- V Another object ofmyprese'nt invention isto tion, the card drawer-is therefore :mounted in 3Q avoid a packing of the-cards during the forward suohmagmanner' that it-maybe'alternately moved movement of the drawer, to retain thesame; in yertically,inrelationto the casing from a plane their normal loose and unpacked relationship, abOYB thQtQP of'the dropping element to a'lower' thus facilitating the dropping operationpand also plane, While at the sametime saididrawer is movto provide for a substantially frictionless moveable :with thecarriage; therefor. horizontally in 35 ment of the supported cards .to the dropping saidicasingl To effectthesecombinationsina edge during movement of the drawer for that practicalmanner, the. .card draweris nested; in a purpose, and to this end Iinterpose between the framemember" which. acts as ;a connection elecard supporting portion of the dropping ele'.- ment between the casing and the card drawer,

40 ment-and the bottom of the'cards, ab'elt'mov this frame'member:being slidable horizontally in 40 able with the drawer, and preferably formed 'of said casing either by means-lofxsuspension slides a suitable fabricswhich will engage the bottom or otherwise and'thereby acting as a carriage for of the cards to hol'dthe same invtheir'nonna'l the card-drawer to moveqthef-sameout'of the-casunpacked relationship during movementthereof ing; and back; said' card drawer being mounted in along the supporting portion of the dropping elesuchv a manner 'insaidljrarne as to enable'the 45 ment to the dropping edge. i L card drawer to be vertically moved in said frame Another object of this inventioniis; to improve and independently of the. joint horizontal move-,- the constructional featuresiof devices of the charment. of said carriage frame member and said acter specified by providing'a card-containing card drawer.

drawer which will be readily separable: or de- With these andother objects in: view, the. in- 5a mountable from the cabinet and also providing ventioncomprisesthecombination of-members a carriage therefor having spring-supporting and;arrangementnoffparts socornbinedas tolcomechanisrnadapted to permit the facile raising actjand :co-operate with-each other in the-per and lowering of the row or body of cards to proformanee of the functions and the accomplishcure the'break'in the row and dropping hereinment pf the results herein contemplated; and '65 comprises one of its adaptions the species or preferred form illustrated in the accompanying V drawings, in which:-

. Fig; 1 is a longitudinal verticalsection of an index cabinet embodying my invention, showing the drawer partly opened and cards being dropped,

' :to expose a series of successive addresses; taken 7 along the line l-I of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a sectionsimilar'to Fig. 1 showing the drawer in closed position; and taken-along the for holding the drawer in its loweredposition;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3a is a detailed section on the line 3a3a of Fig. 3. w

Fig. 4 is a transverse section 'on'the line 4 -4 ofFig.2. V Fig. 5 is a detail view of latching mechanism inet;withinwhich acarriage member 2 is' "slidably partitions 2a. r '3 indicates ;a dropping element,- preferably "comprising a bar mounted to extend longitudimountedto move horizontally -baokalnd forth into and out ofthe c asing,'and Z indicates a drawer separably or demountably' mounted in said carriage 2 and adapted "to have evertical movement relatively to said carriage and cabinet, and provided; with*rows or 'stacks' of" cards 2?) mounted in compartments 2a formed between' nally in :the casingancl preferably mounted along the median line of the said casing and hav mg; a card-supporting portion 31 elevated-from thebottom of the cabinet and extending beneath the cards in the drawer; The said dropping ele-- 'mentorybar- 3 is preferably mounted to' have a limited sliding movement longitudinally in the casing, and as' shown,'has at its front'end'a yoke 3 sliding beneath struckup 'lug'sldflsee Fig. 3;)

and the rear end said her; or element 3. has stretched between alugf3b thereon 'and a fixed 'pin '3c on -casing I a spring 31!; which-normally forces the element forward when thefdrawer is poses."

opened,- closing of the drawer being adapted t'o expand or stretch the spring 3d. fi'lhe lug'sz fla and' yoke; 3 limit the forward movement or the element so that its outer] dropping edge extends a short distance outsideth'e casing infront thereof to permit the card dropplngoperation to take place outside the cabinet for visibility pur- 'I he c arri2atge 2 and-the drawer-2' are prefer ably open at the bottom, are provided with openings ior-slotsi 20, 20, at such bottoms-and the droppingele'ment' 3 ismouhted on the bottom of the cabinet andextends longitudinallythrodg'h 'such'bottom openings or slots, the rear partition or wall and the intermediate partitions '2o":being V 'each-providedwith a vertical openingor slotlx.

The cards 21) are mounted in each compartment or dra wer so as normally to extend to the bottom thereof, -below the top ofthe' slots n;

In the present embodiment of my invention, the mechanism for raising andlower'ing'the card,

,di awer in' the'frame consists of two bars on each side of the carol drawer which bars arear'ranged I as two Crossbars on each side and pivotally. con

now to'these drawings which lllus-r .said dropping element.

nectedat their middle part to level the vertical movements of the the card-drawexz- The bot tom ends of the cross-bars are connected to the frame whereas their free top ends, which ends may or may not be provided with wheelor rollers, are supportingthe card drawer in its front and-rear ends on bothsides so that when the card drawer is pushed down the cross bars arepressed down thereby carrying the card drawer to a lower plane andon an even keel. -A practical feature ofthe invention is to provide the cross bars with springs- -one for each set to 'keep the cross-bars and thereby the card drawer in raised position, the springs being adjusted to bear the weight of both the card drawer and the cards contained therein so that by giving the drawer aslight push downward, the springs contract and the crossbars carry the drawer to the desired elevationh In combination withthe downward movement of the drawer a lock arrangement is mounted'at the front end of the card drawer and controlled by a latch operated from the front ,piece of the card drawer in order to enable the card drawer tobe locked in a lowered positiomfor instance, when. a continuousdropping is desired.

a "The drawer, as shown, is mounted in thecarriagel in suchmanner as to have vertical move- 1 ment onlyin relation thereto and when the drop ping element is mounted in the cabinet as hereinabove described; vertical movement of the drawer will cause an extension or projection lower the same'in relation to the carriage 2 .and easing *l and to the dropping element mounted with said casing! of the dropping element into the slots 2.1. so as to elevate those cardsin the drawer which are mounted to the rear of the dropping edgejof' The drawer 2';thus normally supports the cardsin a position above the dropping element and is adapted to raise. and

gitudinally-extending frame member; slidable horizontallyfback and forth within the cabinet and as shown, the sides of said cabinet being. provided with rails T, 1 within which are:fitted 'sli'dable bars 8 having longitudinal grooves 8a into which" rails B'onthe carriage member! arei adaptedJ-to extendjthus providing suitable sliding.mechanism forisaid carriage.

In the preferred embodiment,of my invention,

theicarriagei is provided at opposite sides with spring drawer-supporting members for normally supporting. the drawer. in elevated position.

These spring members are, arranged to normally support the drawer; in elevated position and to permit, by manual pressure, downward movement of the drawer to its lowered position.

As shown, the spring drawer-supportingimem bers. comprise duplicate systems 'of obliquely crossedllevers or beams .5, each comprisinga forwardlyextending lever 5" and a rearwardly extending lever 5a pivotally connected intermediate theendsthereoflby the shackle member 5a: and haveisprings 6- associated therewith' and preferably connected at their middle portlon to said shackle member attiand having their ends freeand resting against an elbow2e at the sides 01' the carriage; One of said levers, and as shown;

rearwardly extendinglever 5a, ispivoted at 51) to' the said elbow 2e of the carriage or frame 2 and the other forwardly .Jextending lever 5'.

is provided at its lower end witha roller 50 bearing and movable between therails SdTand Set on the carriage. The upper free ends of said cross-bars are also provided with rollers 5e,

. V 40. ,j Asillustrated, the carriagel comprises a lon- Sf-and extend to a level horizontal plane so as to permit supporting '-of the draweri thereon in a levelplane. As illustrated; the freef. endso! the levers and their rollersuextend, when the drawer is mountedjthereon;between: outwardly; projecting top: flanges 2fonthe edgerof the drawer and are preferably-' housed beneath such flanges by theprovision of side: plates or lugs zd'and 2d.' The drawer is thus atall times supported by the spring in elevated positionand is automatically held in such position, it being understood: that the strength: (ii-the springs 6 and the'weight of the drawerrwith itsloadfthera on are substantially balanced but there is aslight additional strength on the partiofthe springs to'maintain the drawer normally in elevatedspo sition, while permitting" the same. to be 1 lowered V by manual pressure without undue effort; When the card 'drawertis thus pressedwdownmanually,

the spring-pressed cross-barswill: be depressed and the card drawerwillbe' carried on uneven 1 keel to av lower plane in: whichrthe 'bottom1 of the card-drawer will extend below-:the top: of the cardldropping-element; lt'willibelmderstood,

that the springs, .as aforesaid, will Ebeadjusted. to bear the weight ofuboththe drawerand the I cards contained therein-so that :byslightlmanual downward push,,.the spring-pressed: levers; and springs will be depressed or 1 extendedmandflthe drawer will be carriedhy the crossebarsitouthe desired lowered positionr In the;preferredrrembodiment offmy invention,

I provide the drawer with a latching"; mechaenismpreferably: comprising: a. spring=pressed latchmember: l l-pivoted;at H and'pressedby spring 1 H a, andwadapted upon-downward: move+ ment of the drawer: to engage a; crossebar I I0 fixed to carriage: 2, soas toyenable'uthe' card drawer to be locked inits loweredpositionz .-.The latch'is released by a manually-movable'meme ber l0 mounted: on the rear" surface the front drawer plate 9:v Asshowm the memb'errlfl? isguided inways I00 anda slot ,I'BZLLZ rpiniexe tending through said slot lflw andrfprovidediwith a knob or finger piece lob, which upon'manipnlas tion will, release the latch by inserting the wedge 10d beneath the upper end thereof.

When the drawer is moved, as aforesaid, from its elevated to its lowered position, the row or body of cards will be broken by the edge of the dropping element and thus cards directly above the edge of the dropping element will be exposed as hereinabove stated.

My invention further provides for a ribbon or beltor drawband of any suitable material which runs along the top part of the dropping element and is fastened to the rear end of the frame at the level of the top of the dropping element and vin front is carried ona roller through the surface of the dropping element at a suitable distance from the vertical front edge of said dropping element and at the bottom of the dropping element is carried on another roller to and fastened to the front end of the frame so that the ribbon when the drawer is moved out and inof the casing is given a simultaneous movement so that when the card drawer is in a lowered position and the cards are resting ontop of the dropping element, said cards are not as heretofore sliding along the surface of the dropping element but are carried along the dropping element by the movement of I the ribbon or drawband thereby eliminating the friction of the cards slidingalon'g the surface of the dropping element and furthermore maintaining a separated and not compressed position of the cards a at their bottom" ends which secures a compietely even dropping of the cards all through the card drawer; l I r f in tlie preferred embodiment of my invention;

I provide a belt l of flexible material" which is 1':

fastened at one end 4' to the rear end of' the car riage member 2, extends therefrom horizontally above thedroppingelement to a point adjacent to the dropping edge thereof, and then passes over a pin-4a in said dropping element, thencedownwardly'at the rear ofthe edge of thesaid: dropping element, and beneath anotherpinlb'associatedwith said. dropping element, and'thence forwardly-to a fastening member or connection lcat the front endof saidcarri'age.

Itwill be seenthat this belt 4' trave1s with the carriage above the saidsupporting portion of the dropping element and thus moves with the carriage and drawerin relation tothe..cabinet and dropping element. Saidbeltis thus supported by the dropping element and is interposed-bee tween said droppingielement and the bottom'of the cardsJso-that for cards resting thereon,,the normal. friction between the bottom thereof and said element is substantially reduced and by virtuetofzthe character ofthe maferiaL'this beltwill maintainthe cards in properly spaced relationshipr'to each other and will prevent any packing thereof :1 during 1 the outward. movement: of. the

carried, forwardly. thereby until; they reach the point adjacent to thedropping-edge. r,

Another important development inithisfinvem tion as compared, to the above: cited previous patent, isagear arrangement mounted to the rear end of the card drawerror to-the rear'end of the horizontally movable frame whichxgear-is mounted on a shaft which runs under the entire length of the drawer to the back of the front piece and to. provide means for moving this-geararrange-ment from a knob mountedzon: thEzfIOflt piecejof the card drawer andtherebyneffecting the movementof a gear which is mounted in-such a manner at the rear, of said shaft asto' engage-T when the card drawer is in a lowered position, a gear rack mounted at the bottom of the casing so that by turning the knob on the front piece I k 50 the forward movement of the card-drawer during the dropping operation may be completely 7 controlled thereby eliminating the danger of a toofast dropping of the cards.

Another important feature of my present invention comprises the provision of mechanism for controllingthe movement of the drawer so as to enable a slower or more gradual movements thereof as well as a more positive and definite movement which will enable cards to be droppedin such successive sequence'as may be desired by the operator and for this purpose I mount' within the cabinet a rack and engage therewith a pinion associated with the carriage and preferably provide bevel gear mechanism for actuat ing said rack and pinion to permit a positive mechanical movement of the drawer aforesaid, as distinct froman uncertain unpositive manual a rod or shaft 12c extending to, the front of the drawer; whereas; asshown, it has mounted thereon a gear l2d whichimeshes with the, gear 12c 'oonnectedwi h a short operating shaftpassing throughthe front drawer plate 9.and1pr0vided atdtsouterend 'with a knurled knob l2} which upon rotation will enable mechanical back and forth movernent of the drawer which -in-- turn will provide successive dropping of the cards; Having described-my invention; I claim;fi 1.- A vertical index cabinet embodying,;.;in combination, agsta-tionarycasing; adrawer; slidable i with said casing,,acarddropping element mountiIl Sflld casing,extending throughtheI'hQ tQm of said drawer above the plane thereof and haw ing a substantially horizontal card-supporting surface difi sed in an 'elevatediposition;-:andf a 'card dropping edge extending downwardly at subie.

stantially right angles to saidjelevated card-sup:-

portingsurface, index cards mounted within :said

drawer,- ;mechanism for raising and loweringrthe bottom of said cards'aboveand below the; top of said dropping element, and mechanical :means 7 for-controlling the horizontal sliding movement of said drawerwithinvthe'c'asing.g

bination, a stationary casing, 'asidrawer .slidable within said easing, a card-dropping "element mountedin thebottom'ofsaid casing, extending "through-the bottom of saidvdrawe'r above'the plane thereof, and having a substantially hori 'zontal card-supporting surface disposed in an 'elevatedxposition, andwa card'dropping edge iexten'd ing downwardly. at substantially right angles to said elevated card-supporting surface, index cards mounted within said drawer, mechanism for raisingand lowering said cards aboveand'below the top 01' said dropping'element, and gear mechanism'. for controlling the horizontal sliding move-j mentiof I said drawer within' the casing fcompri's ingf'a rack' in saidcasing anda pinion on the drawer me'shing with said rack; i

,3. Avertical index-cabinet embodying, in com- 7 bination, a statiofiary casing, a 'drawer slidable withinfsaid casing, a card-dropping element mounted in said casing, extending through" the bottom ofthe'drawer-abovethe plane thereof, and

I '2.IAvertica1 index cabinet embodying, comzoom-ass havingi-asubstantiallyhorizontal card-supporting surface I disposed in 81,1 elevated position, and; a card dropping edge extending downwardly at sub-v stantially right angles; to said elevated card-supporting surface, a belt mounted within said draw- 1 er, above said Card-dropping element to: extend between'thesameand the bottom of thecards,

and means for raising and lowering thebottomof said cards-above and below the'plane of :thecard -J supporting surface-of saiddropping element; q-.4.-A-vertica1index cabinet embodying,-in come binatijon, a stationary casing, a 'card-dropping element mounted" in the; bottom of said casing, and having :a substantially horizontal CflIdrSllDr porting surface disposed in anjelevated.:position,

and a. card dropping edge extending downwardly V at substantially agmangksmsam elevated card i supporting 'surface, and mechanism; for raising V V and. lowering saidcards above andibelow= the plane. I or! said card-supporting surface of said dropping element, comprising a" carriage frame 'fmovable' horizontally back and forthjwithin the casin afdrawer separable fr'om the carriage Irameandspri'ng operated supporting mechanism bdsaidcarriag'e frame fornormally moving said drawer' intoelevated position; v f '5. I-A:vertical' index cabinet embodying, in com: bination; a stationary casing, acard-dropping element mounted in the bottom of said "casing, and having a substantially horizontal card support ing surface disposed in anelevate'd position and award-dropping edge extendi'ngl downwardly at substantially rightangles to said elevated card i supportingsurface, andi' mechanism iorraisirig and "lowering said cards above and" below the 1 plane of said dropping element, comprising a car- 'riage' framemovable horizontally back "and forth withingthe casing; a drawer separablefrom the carriage-frame and f spring-pressed supporting mechanism on-said carriage frame for normally moving said' drawer into elevatedposition, and latchin'g'mech'anism for'reta'ining said'drawenin lowered position' upon "manual movementtliereoi V againstthe action ot said spring-pressed support;

ing mechanism; I V BIRGER AAG Ann; 

